Sunday, December 18, 2011

Verizon to pay $800,000 in billing dispute - Business - The Boston Globe

Phone company says cities, towns were overcharged because of software

Landline phone company Verizon Communications Inc. has agreed to pay more than $800,000 to settle charges that it overbilled Massachusetts cities and towns for phone service.

“This agreement ensures that cities and towns are repaid for losses on account of these billing errors,’’ Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, whose office negotiated the settlement, said in a statement.

Hundreds of local government entities in Massachusetts that contract with Verizon for telephone service were overcharged a total of $1.5 million, which Verizon has since refunded. The overbilling occurred in 2006, after inaccurate information was programmed into newly installed billing software, according to a statement issued by Verizon.